What to look for in an Evacuation Chair

The scenario shown in the picture (manual carry) is totally unacceptable to both the rescuers and the person being manhandled in such an undignified and dangerous way. Evac+Chair was the breakthrough that made such methods obsolete and unacceptable.

First, make sure it's light, strong and simple to operate. Superfluous braking systems, overweight construction and multiple part lists do not make an emergency tool that can be counted on. Weight and complexity are to be avoided. Ten kilograms is doable; 20kg is an arm-wrenching struggle. "Light" also translates into "speed" for getting it where it's needed.

Evacuating an individual down fire stairs requires "controlled descent" — speed needs to match traffic flow. "Polymatic Traction"™ is the self-regulating speed governor feature of EVAC+CHAIR that lets the operator speed up, slow down or stop on the stairs with smooth assurance during the chaotic flow of evacuation. Since its introduction in 1982, EVAC+CHAIR® has gone through 5 major design revisions with minimal weight increase — remaining the gold standard for building evacuation of the disabled. Be aware of cheaper look-alike chairs now distributed in NZ; see "Beware of Lookalikes" and "Manufacturing Standards".